Would You Look at That! Just Look at It!
by crazeecatlady
Summary: After sleazing his way through countless worlds, Riku finds the cure for his longing, the perfect patch for the heart-sized hole in him that he thought only Sora could fill. God knows he had been trying to fill it with various things for quite some time and that had only gotten him a reputation. Riku/Vani I do not own any of the characters- wish that I did. Language.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE?

If he was hard-pressed, Riku could recall what life was like before Vanitas. Sure, Sora had always been there and forever it seemed, Sora was all there was back then. But _even_ then, there was something hanging over them; lurking in the shadows, hovering in his peripheral. For a few years he chalked it up to residual shit from the constant struggle with darkness, and for a couple years after he gave in, he thought it was because Sora was either hardcore het or just not interested in him as more than a best friend (written in rainbow glitter with a heart to dot the i).

Riku discounted the latter after a night of drinking in celebration of being home when Sora insisted he sleep over, and then proceeded to fondle him half the night and fall asleep mumbling about how _un-gay_ he was. Riku tolerated the awkwardness the following day and didn't pursue it as his mere mention of it seemed to bring the brunette physical discomfort. The grimace on Sora's face when he tried to broach the subject was something he never wanted to witness again, especially knowing that he had been the cause of it.

Leaving home again, he never expected anything other than a fight. He never expected to meet someone who would forever change the Riku/Sora dynamic. He chuckled at the memory of his first encounter with Roxas and how stressed he had been that somehow the world would end if he allowed himself to have what he had craved for so long. Yes, Sora had been his best friend for as long as he could recall but they were very different. Sora was good and strong-willed, and always seemed to find the light in everything. Riku was dark and moody, always teetering on the borderline of propriety…always drawn to danger and darkness. The blonde had just enough of that darkness to be tantalizing.

Roxas appeared in his life at a time when he had been so busy self-deprecating over the Sora incident that he had even considered fucking Kairi just to end the friendship for good. Fucking Kairi would kill all there was between them...yes. Sora loved her and she adored Sora…like people adore their pets. It was pathetic. It pissed Riku off and once he had cornered her and given her a piece of his mind. She had laughed in his face and told him he was just jealous (yes, in fact he was). Kairi was the worst kind of cunt, in Riku's opinion, but given enough alcohol she would fuck one of the statues at the colosseum, so a warm body would simply need to be available.

He thought that the Roxas affair would kill it…but that seemed only to amuse Sora. He even teased Riku and asked him if he was thinking about him the entire time. Riku was positive that his face twisted into the same grimace that he had avoided seeing on Sora's face. Attempting to carry out an actual relationship with Roxas turned out to be a terrible idea. After calling him Sora during sex, a fight of epic proportions ensued…which led to more sex. Roxas was like that. Angelic as he appeared, he was a walking IED. The sex was great but the whiplash he got from the blonde's mood swings trumped that. So it had ended and Roxas was still (as far as Riku knew, not that he cared enough to keep up) with the insane pyromaniac.

Then there was the disastrous Namine affair. Riku knew better…he still didn't know what truly motivated him to seduce her. He could've fucked anyone in any of the worlds at that point, so why her? Because she was good and pure. Everyone knew about his darkness, making him the model bad-boy and therefore much sought after guilty pleasure of princes and princesses everywhere. He had accepted what he was but maybe in a moment of weakness he thought that being with Nami would make him a better person…and Sora would come around. Right.

Sora was concerned when Namine confided in him that Riku had been secretly visiting her. He warned her that as much as he loved his best friend, there was a side to him that she needed to be wary of. She didn't listen, and when she confided in Sora once again and admitted that Riku had in fact deflowered her, well…Sora was pissed. That wasn't at all what Riku had been going for so he did as Sora commanded and dropped Namine like a hot rock. She cried…a lot. She enlisted the help of her little monster Xion to try and further defame Riku. That turned out to be a tough sell. He had fucked entirely too many people in all the worlds for a bit of gossip to change anyone's mind about him.

Then one day as he was leaving the Underworld after a particularly boring exhibition fuck for Hades, from out of nowhere, the masked boy dropped into his path and propped on his keyblade. Scowling, Riku started around him without a word but Vanitas grabbed his elbow. "Hang on there, Romeo."

Glaring at his own reflection in the helmet visor, he could have sworn he saw a flash of yellow from behind it. Yellow eyes, the color of pus…Vanitas, the embodiment of everything foul… "What do you want?"

"Loaded question. Care to rephrase?" Vanitas began to remove his helmet.

Riku shrugged. "You can want whatever…doesn't mean I'll give it to you."

As the helmet came off, Riku cursed his eyes and immediately fell victim to that face.

"What if what I want is a very extensive list?" Vanitas smirked and watched the sparkling aqua orbs take in the entirety of his person.

"I'm tired…fuck off." Riku snarled and started past him again but was stopped again by the hand, this time gloveless.

Turning with every intention of taking a whack at him with his own bare hand, he paused when he saw the gleam in golden eyes and the smirk on his lips as he hissed. "Come on…you can call me Sora if you want."

And so it began…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Riku stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. He hadn't been home in days and should have been exhausted but…his mind wouldn't allow him peace. Each time he closed his eyes he saw the boy- Vanitas. He would hiss and toss in his bed, and pull the pillow over his head. Finally getting up for a drink and a smoke (everyone was on about the paopu fruit and who to share it with, blah blah…what they didn't talk about was smoking the leaves of the paopu tree- bliss).

Sitting on his window ledge, looking out at the stars, he inhaled deeply and then watched the small cloud waft up and away. The sweet taste of the paopu made his lips sticky and he immediately thought of dark hair and smirking lips. Growling, he banged his head on the window frame and tried to focus on the pain. As he sat with his eyes squeezed shut and a death grip on what was left of his smoke, he felt a tap and then another. Immediately thinking that it might be a bug or a bat or a heartless, he hopped off his window sill and went into defense mode. "Come on" he growled.

"Riku…" a disembodied voice from his window made his scowl deepen and he approached warily. "If Vanitas is a fucking stalker and is gonna stand at my window begging every time I leave..." He grumbled.

As he peered out, a pebble hit him square in the forehead. "Quit it!"

Huge blue eyes peered up at him. "Let me in."

"Be right there." Riku smiled (he couldn't help himself) as he headed down to open the door for Sora. "Come on in. Mom and Dad are away for a while."

"Where've you been?" Sora walked past him and headed upstairs toward his bedroom like he had a million times before.

Once inside, Riku resumed his place on the window sill. "I just took off for a while, you know…"

"Is it a guy or a girl?" Sora folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot on the woven rug that Riku had picked up in Port Royal.

All his stress seemed to drain away and he smiled genuinely at his long-time best friend. "What do you care? How are things with Kairi?"

"Same…as long as she gets her way everything's fine…but seriously where have you been?"

"Why is it so important? I take off to the Underworld to hang with Hades for days at a time and you don't bat an eye." Riku's heart was touched that Sora was concerned but he was also aware that he wouldn't be unless… "What have you heard?"

"Namine said…"

"Fuck my liiiife." Riku tugged at his hair but immediately released it because his scalp was still sore from Vanitas' sadistic way of winding his hands in it while they were fucking… _unless he was on his knees…Vanitas on his knees._ "Why doesn't she get a life of her own?"

"She was concerned so she called me when she heard that you had been…"

"Had been what? Leading a normal life that doesn't revolve around her or any of her friends?" His scowl softened. "I don't mean you though, you know…you're different."

Sora chewed his lip and sighed through his nose. "She heard about you hanging out in the Underworld with Hades. I told her that you went there for …you know… extracurricular activities."

"Yeah?" Riku snorted and almost smiled. "What she say?"

"She cried...but that's not my point. I'm worried too. We never hang out anymore." Sora scuffed his shoe on the hardwood where it wasn't covered by the rug, causing it to make a barking sound.

"We're hanging out now." The tiny smile that played on Riku's lips should have been a hint but Sora was clueless as always. Knowing his friend better than anyone, Riku approached him and took his hands. "You're still my best friend, Sor."

"And you're mine but…"

"But what? Why do you suddenly care who I spend my _extracurricular_ time with?"

Taking a deep breath, Sora pulled his hands away and stalked over to sit stiffly on the bed where he had spent so many nights that he couldn't begin to count them… friendly nights… _chaste nights_ … _except for that one time and that was at his house so it didn't count. Why was he thinking about that anyway?!_ "For the last few days…while you were away…there was a horde of Unversed that I had to fight alone. Alone! So when Namine said that you had been in the Underworld, I knew what you were doing and I just wanted to know, well…was it Vanitas you were having special time with?"

Riku quietly observed the clenched fists, pink cheeks, and tightly closed eyes before him and wanted so badly to ravage the slightly frowning mouth. "I'm sorry you had to fight them alone."

Opening his eyes, Sora took the statement as a denial and let it go. He had no desire to talk to Riku about who he chose to put his parts inside; that was Riku's business. Sora's parts belonged to Kairi, all of his parts, not just the ones for making babies but especially those. "So have you seen him around?"

"I have yeah…I'll try and find out what's up with him."

"Thanks Riku. You're the best." Sora smiled easily as he watched Riku approach him. "Why don't you just sleep over since you're here already?"

"I _am_ kinda tired." Sora yawned and stretched and as he reached high, Riku grabbed his shirt and snatched it over his spikey brown hair. Giggling, he swatted half-heartedly at his friend who had an odd half-smile to match his half-lidded eyes. "You look sleepy too."

Riku nodded. "I'm ready for bed, for sure. Come on."

* * *

The morning sun brought incessant doorbell ringing and, once attended, flailing and shouting in the form of an angry redhead (not to be confused with _insan_ e redhead- that one belonged to Roxas). "Get Sora down here! He knows we have a lunch date today with my parents! You did this on purpose! Such an asshole! God!"

Riku let slip a sly smile as he propped himself in the doorway. Sliding his hand across his bare pecs and shoulders to fend off the morning chill…as well as to attract Kairi's attention, he murmured. "You don't have to call me that, you know."

"Well I call them like I see them." She snapped.

"Didn't realize you saw me as a God!" He grinned evilly when he saw her eyes narrow to slits. "I'll get Sora for you, but calm your tits. I didn't know about your little date or whatever."

She stalked inside behind him and secretly wished that he would pull up his sweats that hung too low on his hips. She watched his glutes and wondered if he was wearing underwear…she wondered if _he even owned_ underwear. Growling to herself, she stopped outside the bedroom door. "I'll wait here…I don't want to go near that bed of yours. There's no telling what's growing on your sheets."

Riku rolled his eyes and left her there. Crawling onto his bed, he snuggled Sora close and whispered. "Wake up, buddy. Your cow is here and she's lowing about a lunch date with the rents."

Sora began to wiggle and smile. "Why do you guys hate each other? I don't get it. I think you're both great."

"We both think you're great." Riku buried his face in soft brown spikes and smiled as he pressed close to Sora's waking body.

"I could sleep forever in this bed." He scooted away from Riku, embarrassed when he realized that he had his morning wood pressed against his best friend's thigh. "But I need to get going. Thanks for letting me stay last night."

"Any time, you know that." Riku watched him get off the bed and cover himself with his hand discreetly as he made his way to the bathroom. When he emerged, he was grinning. "She's prolly pissed, right?"

"A little." Riku opened the door to allow Kairi to enter if she wanted. She did not want. Standing firm with a scowl, she waited for Sora to cross the threshold before she grabbed his hand. "Come on, you need a shower and do something about your hair…" she marched away and Riku smiled when he heard Sora grouse "Glad to see you too, damn…"

Closing his door again, he collapsed onto his bed and pulled his pillow over his face. Breathing in the scent of Sora (which oddly smelled like gummi bears) he groaned and shoved his hand inside his pajamas. No sooner than he had touched himself, his doorbell chimed again. "Fuck me…"

He scrambled off the bed and peered out his window. There was no vehicle in the driveway so he assumed Sora had forgotten something. "But what?" he whispered to himself as he jogged downstairs and snatched the door open.

"Good morning Sir. Could I interest you in some candy that I'm selling? It's for a good cause…and really delicious."

Riku stared blankly for mere seconds before the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile/smirk. Grabbing Vanitas by the waist and hauling him inside, he slammed the door and flipped the lock.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"I don't know what's going on with your idiot friend, but he's up to something more disgusting than his usual." Kairi dressed quickly before she even released him from his bonds, as was her habit. "He's such a pig…honestly I don't see why you still want to hang out with him. And how could you sleep in that bed? Ugh! I think you should get tested."

"Kai…" Sora began but she ignored him completely while she proceeded to brush her hair. "He thinks he can have anyone he wants…well he can't have me. Isn't that right, Sora?"

"Yeah…but Kairi…"

"I can't believe Namine let him touch her. Disgusting. But you know poor Nami had no idea…so innocent."

 _Not anymore._ Sora thought as he wiggled his wrists and sighed. "Untie me. I hafta pee."

"Oh! I'm sorry baby!" she rushed to the bedside and released his wrists and ankles from the leather restraints before dropping a kiss onto his forehead. "I need to get going. I'm meeting Xion for coffee so she can rehearse her poetry with me. I'm a great critic you know."

"Yeah…you're really good at that." Sora scooted off the bed and headed for the bathroom. "Right back."

As he stepped into the bathroom, he heard her call out. "I don't have time…just text me later. Or I'll text you when we're done. Love you!"

"Love you!" he called out while he enjoyed the relief of being able to finally empty his bladder as well as knowing that he had the afternoon free. Kairi was all about morning sex. He assumed at first that it was just because his folks would be out of the house but then when she began to insist on it even on weekends, he assumed that was just her thing. She didn't mind if he sneaked over to her house at night, so he gave her what she wanted in the mornings…before school, before breakfast, before anything else.

After showering, he called Riku to see if he had plans. What better way to spend a Kairi free day than hanging with his bestie.

* * *

Riku shoved Vanitas' foot away from his face and peered at his phone on the bedside table. "Shit…Sora."

"Again? Alight then…say it again." Vanitas moaned and Riku ceased all movement. "Not that…I mean…Sora was calling but he hung up I guess."

"Oh." Vanitas grimaced and began to pull away. "I'll get out of here then."

"Wait, no. I mean…you don't have to go right now." Riku watched the brief pause before yellow eyes peered back at him. "You want me to stay?"

"We're not finished." Riku smirked and stood beside the bed to toss Vanitas onto his back. Snatching open the drawer of his nightstand, he dropped something onto the bed. "Wanna try this?"

Vanitas looked at the device and grinned evilly. "If I knew you were into this I would've brought my toys."

"Next time, yes?"

"Oh yeah…so who's wearin this- you or me?"

"You, of course. I don't trust you enough to let you apply that thing to my junk." Riku snorted and bent to fasten leather straps carefully and then snug them up until he heard a grunt. Grinning, he crawled onto the bed again and collapsed onto his back. "Get up here…I've done enough of the work."

The phone rang again but neither seemed to notice. The voicemail notification chimed but they didn't hear.

* * *

"Riku!" Sora ran toward him on the beach. Watching his approaching friend, he formulated a little white lie and turned his phone off while it was still inside his pocket. He had gone down to the beach to get some sun and relax…and also because he knew that Sora would show up sooner or later. Lying on a blanket with his head resting on his balled-up shirt, he waited for the inevitable pounce.

"Where were you yesterday?" asked the shadow that fell across him. There was no pounce.

"I was sick…and it was bad. Plus my phone wasn't working…would've been nice to have a surprise visit from you…yesterday while I was in bed sick. Alone. My folks are away and I didn't have anyone to care for me. Where were you yesterday?" (maybe the white lie was a little larger than he initially intended).

Guilt-ridden, Sora fell to his knees by his side. "I'm sorry Riku. I should've known that something was wrong when you didn't answer or return my call. I'm sorry, buddy. I should've come to check on you. How are you feeling today?"

"I'd feel great if my best friend would snuggle with me while I recuperate." The twitch at the corner of his mouth was what passed for a smile most of the time, so Sora lay down with him and propped on his elbow to stare at the handsome profile. "So what kind of sick were you? Is it contagious? I don't want to be sick."

"It wasn't contagious." Thinking about his shenanigans the previous day, he sighed. "Probably something I ate."

"Oh, alright. Do you want me to braid your hair for you? It looks kind of messy." Sora sat up and began to comb his fingers through Riku's hair.

"You're talking shit about _my_ hair…really?"

Sora giggled and ran a hand through his own wild locks and settled for finger-combing silver threads. "I was actually going to come see you yesterday but I was attacked by some Unversed. They're everywhere lately…it's annoying."

"Wonder what's up."

"I donno but I think we should find the source…and eliminate him."

"But Sora…I thought we agreed that we would wait until Ventus agrees to have him back."

"Ven isn't going to agree to shit. He's stalling."

Riku rolled an eye up at Sora and thought _wonder if I could get sweet little Sora to do a little bad deed…_ "We could trick him."

"Who, Ven?"

"Yeah…and Vani…Vanitas." Riku corrected himself quickly and noted that there was only a small eyebrow quirk. "We could make sure that they show up somewhere at the same time. You know there will be a fight. Those two can't stand one another."

"It would have to be on Ven's turf though because you know how he is." Sora groused as he thought of his neo-hippie counterpart who only cared about saving trees and whales and wearing handmade tie-dye sarongs with stupid sandals.

"Maybe you could talk him into coming away…invite him to your house or something."

"I don't want those idiots fighting at my house! Are you crazy? My mom would kill me…AND call the cops."

Riku chuckled and sat up. Sora immediately began brushing the few grains of sand from his skin "Invite them to your house."

"No." Riku shook his head and sighed. "There has to be a neutral place."

"We could ask Roxas to help."

"No."

"Why do you hate him?"

"I don't hate him, but he's just as crazy as that pyromaniac he's dating and I just can't deal." Riku stretched his arms and then popped his shirt before pulling it over his head.

"Maybe we should just forget the whole thing."

"You'll keep getting attacked by Unversed."

"I'll eventually kill them all." Sora bit his lip and then licked the salt from them. "Or Vanitas will find something that makes him happy and stop making them."

"Let's hope for that then. Everyone deserves to be happy, right Sora?"

"Yep!" he beamed and kissed Riku's cheek. "You have a good heart. I don't care what everyone else says."

Aqua eyes tracked the movements as Sora stood and dusted himself off. "Come on…let's get something to eat."

"Sure."

"You do feel up to eating today, don't you?'

"Yeah…I think I'm good. Say you wanna spend the night?"

"I guess."

"Does that mean you have to ask Kairi?"

"Yeah…I kind of should. She's my girlfriend."

"She can spend the night too." Riku smirked.

"I think she'd probably rather spend the night with Hades." Sora giggled and turned to his friend, gave him a light shove. "Race ya!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A month passed and Riku was spending more and more time away. He even volunteered to go check up on other worlds just to make sure they were safe and sound… it was like he wanted to be away from the island and Sora was feeling abandoned. As busy as Riku was, his own life hadn't changed much at all. Kairi yakked day and night about her friends, her clothes, her hair, and all other things that interested only her until one afternoon…she brought something new to the table.

"So…I heard a bit of gossip about your boy Riku." She sat on her beach lounger by Sora who was sprawled on a blanket, face down. Not waiting for a response, she snapped. "Are you awake!?"

"If I wasn't, I am now!" Sora, in a rare moment of impatience, snapped back.

Kairi's eyes narrowed to slits. "I know you did NOT just yell at me." She was seething and Sora immediately lost all his fight.

"I'm going home." He stood and began collecting his things while she watched him, mouth agape at his impertinence.

"You don't want to hear about Riku?" she sneered and then smiled smugly.

"No." Sora groused. "I don't want to hear any gossip. Jeez, no wonder Riku doesn't wanna hang around."

"You're blaming me?"

"I need to think, Kai…I need to take a break."

"From us!?"

"Yeah I guess so…yeah." Sora shrugged and picked up his shoes before turning to make his way toward home. As he walked away he could hear her shrilling at his back. "You're just as much of an asshole as he is sometimes. I bet he'll be overjoyed! This was probably his idea! Such an asshole! GOD!"

Sora's smile was relative to the distance he put between him and his now ex-girlfriend, and by the time he reached home, he was grinning. Swinging the door open, he called out to his mom and went up to his room to shower. Singing all the songs he learned in Atlantica, he emerged from the steamy bathroom with a towel on his hair and his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. "Phone phone phone…" he searched briefly and then found the device in his discarded pants.

* * *

Riku had been so focused on further defiling himself with Vanitas that he had scarcely thought about Sora in recent weeks. Of course, the entire affair had begun because of his hang-up about his bestie but that hurdle was cleared after the first week. He realized that no matter how hard he fucked Vanitas, he would never be Sora (even when he answered to his name) and in a way, he was grateful. Riku's sexual appetite had slithered far beyond anything Sora's innocence could fathom and well, there was no going back.

Thinking of their last conversation, less than twenty-four hours prior, he walked slowly through his kitchen and contemplated…

 _Vanitas peered at him from the mess of sheets while he sat by the window to smoke. "So, your folks are away again?"_

" _Yeah…it's no big, you know. They've always travelled."_

" _Don't ya miss em?"_

" _Mom…sometimes." Riku turned toward him. "Why do you ask?"_

 _Shrugging, he crawled off the bed, still naked except for the silk tie that hung loosely around his neck. "I notice now and then you look kind of lonely…and I wonder how much of it is because they abandon you at random times, without warning…" he sat astride Riku's thighs and flicked his tongue out to wet plump lips. "Without apology."_

 _Aqua eyes fixed on amber, unmoving even as he felt the brush of fingers against his bare abdomen as his jeans were unfastened yet again_ …

Vanitas had a way of niggling things to the surface of his psyche and then 'helping' him exorcise those demons. He pondered this as he picked up random items in the too quiet, rarely used kitchen. He didn't see it as a weakness per se. Lifting one of his mom's aprons that had a large floral print and a small ruffle, he smirked and draped it across his shoulder before moving on. If he allowed Vanitas to help him put his insecurities to rest…that was a good thing. That was healthy progress…right?

Holding up a wooden spoon in his left hand and a spatula in his right, he compared the two briefly. Nodding as he returned the spatula to the drawer because a wooden spoon would be far easier to replace, he reached for a canvas grocery bag but then stopped short. Inspecting the diameter of his favorite chopsticks, he grinned fiendishly (he did that sometimes) and then tossed it all into a bag before heading out to Vanitas' place that overlooked the Keyblade Graveyard.

* * *

The incessant buzzing of the phone on the floor by his bed was annoying, but not so much so that it warranted all his attention. He was exhausted. Riku was finally asleep, and he had been able to slip away and shower before collapsing, sore and spent. Staring solemnly at the handsome profile and long silver hair, he snarled slightly and let a soft growl escape before closing his eyes. Sora would never be enough for Riku and Vanitas knew it. It hadn't taken long to open Riku's eyes to that fact either. Weeks had passed with the two meeting up at every convenience in whatever world Riku chose, until he finally relented and invited him to his own shitty apartment…something he never did. Watching his stir in his sleep and then sigh and scratch his nose, Vanitas smiled and then forced his eyes closed once more. Breathing in the scent of the ocean that seemed to cling to Riku's skin, he abruptly turned away and buried his face into his pillow. _You're weak! Pining like a little bitch! He's never gonna want you for anything other than this…so you might as well get that through your stupid skull. If one of your Unversed hurts his precious Sora, he'll shit-can you in a second._

Slipping out of bed again, Vanitas dressed quietly and hurried out, leaving Riku asleep with the damnable phone still spinning on the floor like a carnival ride out of control.

Sora was surprised when the call was finally answered. He had hung up on the voicemail twice but intended to leave a message this time. He didn't have to.

"Yeah…" Riku's sleepy voice husked over the phone.

"Hi Riku! I've missed ya buddy. Wanna hang out? Get something to eat maybe?"

"Yeah…sure…I was…sorry, hang on." (rustling noises) "Hey, Sora…sorry about that. Yeah, we can hang out. When?"

"Now or…anytime since I broke up with Kairi."

"You did what?"

"I broke up with her. She was killing me." Sora picked at the threads of the towel. "So where are you now…maybe we can meet up or …"

"I'll come to you." Riku's voice was hushed, nearly a whisper. Sora didn't realize that he had a bit of a snarl on his face while he listened, but he did. "See you in an hour?"

"Sure." The word had no joy behind it.

Ending the call, Sora looked around his room and wondered if he had been with Kairi for so long that he had ruined his friendship with Riku already. He wondered if his friendship was salvageable. Dressing quickly, he decided to shoot Riku a text telling him to just meet him on the pier, and headed out.

The sun was warm like every other day (mostly, except when it rained) but it felt different. Sora assumed that was because _he_ was different…not the sun. Looking down the beach, he saw what appeared to be a shadow that had no body. Just a shadow, standing alone on the beach. Glancing up at the sky he wondered if it was being cast by the clouds somehow…it wasn't…and when he looked back down, it was gone.

He wandered around picking up odd shells and drawing in the sand with a stick, and checking his watch. Finally, the hour was up and he made his way to the pier. Fifteen more minutes passed before he saw a familiar form appear. Sora was instantly suspicious as Riku stepped out of a portal wearing clothes that he had never seen before. "Hi…long time, no see."

The sound of his voice made the strange arrival seem less threatening and Sora ran to him for a warm embrace. "I've missed you."

A thousand times or more, Riku had daydreamed of this very scenario… _Sora dumps Kairi and summons him… holds him close affectionately_ …but that was before Vanitas. Kissing chocolate spikes of hair, Riku smirked sadly where Sora couldn't see. "How've you been?"

"Ok, I guess. Better now. How've you been?"

Stepping back and looking over the form he had admired for so long, he clapped him on the shoulders. "Food, yes?"

"Yes!"

The two went for fish tacos and Sora shared the entirety of his breakup with Kairi. Riku listened raptly and debated telling Sora where he had been spending his time…but decided not to. It was too soon to put the nail in the coffin on his chances with the brunette. As they chatted and ate, they fell back into that rapport that they had shared since they met… and didn't notice approaching angry females.

"Would you look at that, Nami…just look at it! Two _losers_ on a date!" Kairi shrilled and cackled loudly, drawing everyone's attention at the seaside café.

Riku glared in their direction and growled as they continued to approach. "Sora…"

Sora turned, cheeks red, and glared as well. "What do you want, Kairi? I'm not taking you back so leave me alone."

"Wow…now what makes you think I want you back?" she laughed, making his face even redder. Riku winced and shifted his gaze to Namine who looked as if she was about to cry. Looking into her big sad eyes, he asked quietly. "Why do you hang out with her? She's such a bitch."

"Why do you care?" Namine squeaked.

"Don't speak to her you fucking pig!" Kairi spat venomously and bent toward the still seated Riku.

"Fuck off, cunt." Riku mumbled and turned to pick up his food, intending to finish his meal. "She's not some innocent who needs your protection."

"She is and she does! She's good and kind, unlike you! There's not a bit of darkness in her!"

"There was, on at least two occasions." Riku mumbled and Sora covered his face with both hands.

Namine began to cry and Kairi began screeching unintelligible curses while Riku dropped some munny on the table and drained his cup. Belching loudly, he checked the time. "Wanna go to my house for a while?"

"Sure." Sora noted that Kairi was still screaming obscenities so he didn't bother to try and say goodbye.

Before they reached Riku's house, they were attacked by a huge horde of Unversed. Fighting side by side, they managed to kill them all but Riku still looked worried. Bending at the waist to catch his breath, he felt a light pat on his back. "What's up with you, Riku?"

"I don't know what you mean." He knew exactly what Sora meant.

"Maybe you're just getting a little rusty but you seemed to not want to kill them…those Unversed."

"That's ridiculous." Riku murmured the words but all he could see behind his closed eyes was Vanitas screaming and growling in pain.

Sora shrugged. "Wonder what Vanitas is up to…say did you ever run into him?"

"Yeah, no… yes I saw him." Riku puffed out a breath and bit his lip. "You know, I should probably get the house cleaned up before mom and dad come home."

"Ooookay. I can help!"

"It's mostly laundry and my- my room. Why don't we just catch up tomorrow." Riku offered a quick hug, dropping his arms before Sora could even return it properly. "See ya!"

"Bye." He watched his bestie jog toward home while he stood there in the twilight alone…more alone than he had been in a very long time.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun had just begun to rise as Riku crawled back onto the bed. He moved as gently as he could and made sure to leave enough space between their bodies so that he didn't disturb the sleeper. Propping on his elbow, he looked down at the form before him in utter wonder. How had he missed it? After all the time they had spent together…how could he have overlooked something so profound? And in truth, he wasn't even sure when exactly it had started.

Flicking a ruffle on his mom's ugly apron, he smirked. Vanitas had fallen asleep still wearing the atrocity, and seemed content to sleep on…or maybe he was just too exhausted to bother with taking it off. Reaching over him carefully, Riku pulled the bow string to untie it, and as it fell away to reveal heavily tattooed skin, Vanitas rolled away, turning his back to his lover/abuser.

Aqua eyes stared briefly at messy black hair…black like raven feathers… thick and lustrous. His exposed nape bore rope burns varying from fading to fresh, but that was his kink. Riku figured that after all Vanitas had endured from him, the least he could do was indulge him. Closing his eyes, he recalled the plea from just hours earlier.

" _Do it…" Vanitas croaked, his face pressed to the mattress while wearing the hideous apron. "Please."_

 _Wrenching the silk tie tighter, Riku bent over his back and bit into his shoulder…_

Shivering, he opened his eyes and shook his head. He had been around… he had seen and done some things, vile things…to himself and others, but Vanitas was the absolute basest creature he had ever met. He was literally down for anything. He had no limits and seemed to revel in the defilement of sacred things, causing Riku to liberate a few items from a certain cathedral in La Cite des Cloches for his entertainment. Biting his lip, he studied the tattoo that covered Vanitas' back and hid (he was sure) many scars and bruises. Kingdom hearts in a night sky shone down on the Keyblade graveyard where a lone figure sat looking up.

He hadn't realized that as he admired the body art, he had reached out to hover his fingers over the details, mere millimeters away from cool skin. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he rested his hand on a bare hip and smiled when he felt the gentle shift of waking. "I need to go." He whispered and as he did, Vanitas stilled all movement. "So, go." He murmured.

Riku shook his head – he didn't realize that he was scowling - and started to sit up. "You could come with me."

"Where?" Tugging the sheet up higher to cover his bare back, Vanitas looked over his shoulder.

Riku was sitting naked on the window sill, smoking paopu. Amber eyes traced the lines of the body he secretly worshipped from toes to nose as he waited for an answer.

"Does it matter?"

"Maybe I don't wanna go."

Riku glanced his way, not expecting the heated gaze he met. "Name a place that you wouldn't go with me." He stood and started for the bed. Flicking his smoke out of the open window.

"Maybe I'm bored with you…maybe I've had enough of you and am just waiting for you to go away." Vanitas snapped quietly as he rolled to face him and rose up onto one elbow when Riku retook his place on the bed.

"Maybe." Riku snatched the sheet violently and sent it sailing across the room. Seeing the spoon-shaped bruises and welts on his legs made him wince so he shoved him down onto the bed and sat astride his thighs. "Tell me to go away…and I will." Cool hands rested on his thighs and he could literally see Vanitas' pulse throbbing in his neck. "Say it if you want me to go."

Silence.

Riku studied the face below him: smooth skin, huge eyes, small nose, plump lips…lips that he had never kissed. They had done many things, but kissing on the mouth had never been a part of it. He had never even tried. He had bitten in various places, breaking the skin in most instances, but never had he kissed any part of Vanitas. Contemplating this, he noticed something new. "Where'd you get that?"

Touching a scar on his clavicle, Vanitas held the aqua gaze. "My master."

Riku was instantly defensive on his behalf and his anger began to build. "Why does he beat you?"

"Why do you?"

Riku was sure at that moment that he looked like a fresh catch: eyes round, mouth open, helpless. "I… uhh."

A familiar sneer spread the soft-looking lips and Vanitas chuckled. "You should probably go now."

"Right…" he tried to peer into the amber irises once again but was denied. Vanitas bucked him off gracelessly and went to shower alone. Staring at the closed door, he sighed heavily and began to dress. _When did I start to care? And why does it make me feel so sick? This must be how it feels to know that you're dying. You know something horrible is coming and there's nothing you can do to stop it._

* * *

As soon as Riku reached the island, before he made it to his house, he ran into the red scourge: Kairi (not to be confused with the red menace- he belonged to Roxas). "Hi Riku."

Glaring suspiciously, he merely snarled. "What do you want?"

She beamed at him and adjusted her too short (in his opinion) skirt. "I wanted to let you know that Sora and I are back together…and I wanted to thank you."

Riku rolled his eyes and huffed. "How did you con him this time? And why are you thanking me?"

"You've been so caught up with your whoring that you let him get lonely…and he came crawling back, just like I knew he would."

Riku wanted to vomit. He had pursued Sora silently for so long, but then when the opportune time came to make his move, he wasn't even around. He hoped his disappointment didn't show on his face.

"Don't look so green, dumbass. Everyone knows you're fucking Vanitas. Everyone except for Sora." She giggled. "You're such a dirt bag. You two deserve each other. I bet the whole time you're away, neither of you bathe. You just wallow in your own filth and jizz-covered sheets. Gross."

Riku's eyes narrowed to slits and he pulled his shirt up to give it a quick sniff before lunging at Kairi and wrapping her in a bear hug. She screamed and gagged while he declared loudly "I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU AND SORA! WE'RE PRACTICALLYFAMILY NOW!"

Once he was sure she was going to vomit, he released her with a gentle shove and watched her reel and retch. She looked like a bile-spewing pinwheel and it was pretty amusing. He smirked and started on his way again. His initial disappointment at her revelation had vanished just that fast, and he had to wonder how much of it had to do with Vanitas. _Vanitas…he probably thinks I'm a joke. He's damaged,and he'll never want a relationship…I should probably stop fucking with him altogether. Guess I'll start going to the Underworld again…boring._

Riku felt as though he had made a wise decision and since Vanitas wasn't interested in keeping him around, there was no reason for an explanation…no messy break-up. Swinging his door open, he looked around to see if either of his parents were home. They were not. Sighing, he climbed the stairs, stripping as he went. The thought of not seeing Vanitas anymore made him feel like he had eaten tainted meat. Rubbing his abs as if to quell the nausea, he entered his bedroom and went directly to the bathroom without noticing the shadow in the corner that didn't belong.

As the water washed over him, the scent of Vanitas' skin wafted up and he smiled, closing his eyes. Flashes from the days and nights that he had spent with the masked boy assaulted his conscience and he leaned against the cool shower wall.

 _Vanitas looked at the flower-print apron and chuckled. "Gimme it."_

 _Riku handed it over with a smirk and then revealed the wooden spoon and chopsticks._

" _I think I get the spoon but what's up with the chopsticks?" Vanitas dropped his own clothes quickly and donned the apron, tying it behind his back._

 _Riku growled softly at the sight before him and approached, hands reaching. "The spoon is for your spanking…and the chopsticks well, I'll show you." Reaching under the apron, he fondled him before taking one of the polished wooden utensils and slathering it with lube. "You should lie down for this…"_

Sliding down the shower wall, Riku covered his face with his hands as if to hide from what he had done.

 _Vanitas whined and his legs were shaking…but he still begged "More…"_

 _Riku had passed exhaustion hours earlier but Vanitas was insatiable it seemed. What had started as random hook-ups had turned into days-long affairs and everything else seemed to fall by the wayside: his parents, chores, Sora…_

"I can't." Riku bathed quickly and shut the water off before hurrying out and darting into his closet. As he dressed, he heard a soft chuckle. Spinning toward the sound, he gasped.

"Where's the fire?" Vanitas smiled easily at the half-dressed form before him.

The wave of relief that washed over Riku shocked him almost as much as the surprise visitor. "Vanitas…I was uh… I was about to come back to your place."

"Why?" he said the word but his face didn't look at all curious…more like apprehension.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"So, ask." The tiny look of apprehension now looked a bit more like fear as he took a step back, bumping into the closet door.

"Would you…I mean will you…I want…" Riku stuttered and hissed as he reached for Vanitas' hands only to have them snatched away, and stammered on. "If you won't even let me hold your hands, there's no point in asking."

"You're acting like a psycho right now- more than usual." Vanitas stepped out of the closet and went to perch on the bedside. "Calm the fuck down. How big a deal can this question be? You've had something of yours in every orifice I possess at some point in time… seriously…no words will be more profound than having a chopstick inserted into my dick hole and being spanked with a wooden spoon." He shrugged and watched Riku's face contort as he tried to squash a smile.

"Vani…do you wanna like, go somewhere?"

Vanitas stared blankly.

"Like a date." Riku sniffed and pulled his shirt over his head.

Vanitas nodded slightly and then shrugged. "Sure…yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… but aren't you afraid it'll ruin your chances with Sora?"

Riku sat beside him. "He's back with Kairi and… I don't think I want that with him, you know…like what I have with you."

"What do you have with me?"

"I'm not sure…but I no longer want to put anything of mine into any orifice of his…is what I'm saying." Riku couldn't squash his smile so he turned his face away, completely missing a very uncharacteristic blush on Vanitas' cheeks.


	6. Chapter 6

Kairi squinted past Sora's head and even though his mouth was moving, she wasn't hearing him. _Is that Riku? And Vanitas? So, I guess it's all true. Has he finally given in to his darkness completely? You think you know someone…_

"Kairi!" Sora snapped and then turned to peer over his shoulder to see what held her attention. Turning back to face her, she averted her eyes from the other couple and winced at the miserable expression before her. "I'm sorry, Sora…want me to kick his ass?"

"I can do that myself." The brunette mumbled as he shoved his chair back and started over to their table. Kairi reached for his arm only to have it jerked out of her grasp, and she smiled. This was that proverbial straw and Sora was about to lose his shit…all over Riku.

* * *

Earlier that evening, Riku approached the restaurant where Vanitas had agreed to meet him for their first real date. He was nervous and couldn't figure out for the life of him why. Vanitas stood near a bench that sat outside the well-reputed establishment and smiled slightly when he saw Riku approaching. Not stopping until they were nearly toe-to-toe, the latter planted a chaste kiss on a smooth cheek and returned the smile. "You look nice."

Vanitas lowered his head and nodded. "Thanks…so do you. I wasn't real sure about what to wear but since I don't have a lot of variety in my wardrobe…"

"Black is always good." Riku was relieved that he wasn't alone in his nervousness.

"You may not want to go in there…and if we go somewhere else, that's cool with me." Amber eyes darted toward the door before returning to Riku, scanning his person, and then resting on his mouth to await a reply.

"Why would I not?"

"Sora's in there…I can feel him." Vanitas shoved his hands into the pockets of his black pants and wondered once again if he had left too many buttons open on his shirt that revealed his black undershirt and a smattering of tattooed skin.

"If you don't want to go in, we'll go somewhere else." Riku nodded and placed a hand reassuringly on Vanitas' shoulder.

"It doesn't bother me…I mean I just didn't want to cause a problem between the two of you. I'm sure you haven't told him about us and you know that twat of a girlfriend of his will cause a scene."

"So let her." Riku reached up and tugged at his ponytail. "That will ensure that everyone knows about us at least…are you ok with that though?"

"Yeah, I don't give a fuck who doesn't like it…you know me…I'm always ready to fuck somebody up."

Riku chuckled and his seldom heard laughter surprised Vanitas and made him smile genuinely. "Let's go make Kairi's day."

* * *

Sora stood with his arms folded across his chest, Kairi at his back, glaring at Vanitas who was grinning like a fiend. "What the hell, Riku? Since when do we consort with the enemy?"

"Consort." Vanitas giggled and Riku sighed. "He isn't the enemy, Sor."

"Since when?"

"Since I decided he isn't, now will you let us enjoy our date?"

Sora looked confused but Kairi cleared it all up for him. "I tried to tell you he was fucking Vanitas. Where the hell do you think those hordes of Unversed came from?"

Vanitas made the eek face and then winked at Sora who was simply staring with his mouth in the shape of a small o. Riku closed his eyes and sighed.

"Now do you see why I try to keep you away from that loser? He endangers everyone for his own selfish pleasure. How many of them have you had to fight, Sora? Just so he could get off? They're disgusting and if Riku is that heartless, well then he isn't much a best friend, is he?"

"Well, I…" Sora was dragged away before he could finish his thought and Riku stared at the closed door of the restaurant until Vanitas spoke quietly. "I'm sorry…this was a bad idea."

Aqua eyes unmoving, Riku replied. "But it was my bad idea…no need for you to apologize."

Vanitas nodded. "Okay…well I'm taking off so you can catch up to them and fix things with Sora."

Riku turned to him and grabbed his wrist even as he was standing to leave their table. "No…"

"He's been your friend forever…no point in throwing that away over this…whatever this is." Vanitas tugged his wrist free but Riku stood and stepped in front of him, taking both his hands. "Wait…I knew what I was doing when I walked through those doors with you."

"Right, so do I. You wanted to make Sora jealous. You did, so go to him." Vanitas freed himself again and turned to walk away.

"Don't leave right now, goddammit. I'm trying to tell you that I want to be with you. This wasn't about Sora…it hasn't been about Sora since the first week we were together." Not giving him a chance to respond, Riku wrapped him in an embrace. Burying his face in the raven hair that he liked to watch rainbows form in as the sun rose, he closed his eyes. "Just give me a chance…ok?"

"What are you trying to prove with me?" Vanitas' voice was muffled against Riku's hard pectorals and any other time, that would have been hot…but at the moment it was just inconvenient. Pushing gently, he looked up into pain-filled eyes. "I'm no good."

"Then neither am I…because I want this, us…I want to try to make it work." Riku watched as amber eyes glistened, threatening tears, just before Vanitas shoved him away and ran out into the evening.

* * *

Deciding to walk home, Riku ran into countless Unversed. He fought until he was exhausted and then fought more. Finally, he decided that running wasn't always a coward's way, and headed for hiding. Losing them when they found others to harass, he slipped into an abandoned building and peeked out while he tried to catch his breath. What he saw made his breathing stop completely.

Vanitas was fighting his own Unversed…his own demons…and he screamed in pain with each blow. Once he was down, more Unversed came and he dragged himself back up to fight again. "I'm such a pussy…I have to stop this before he kills himself."

Rushing to his aid, he helped him defeat the last of them and then hauled his ragged form over his shoulder to escape the ones that would follow. He didn't stop until he reached his home. Locking the door behind him, he carried Vanitas upstairs and deposited him onto the bed. Looking down at barely open yellow eyes, he shook his head. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking …how many of these bastards do I have to create and kill before I die. You disrupted my experiment."

"Asshole." Riku went to get warm wet cloths to clean his wounds and returned to find him curled into a ball, sobbing bitterly into the pillow. Crawling onto the bed, he held him close against his chest and waited for him to calm down enough to speak.

"Why am I here? Why was I even created?" Vanitas croaked. "I'm just a bi-product of a tree-hugging hippie who won't even speak to me for fear that I'll harsh his mellow."

Riku smiled into the black spikes of hair. "You're your own person, Vani…and it's time you started living like it. Stop waiting for Ven to come around."

"I'm just so tired…"

"Then rest...stay here with me." Riku pulled the pillow off his face and rolled him over. Wiping the tears from his cheeks, he lifted his chin and kissed his lips. To anyone else, the kiss may have been insignificant but to Riku, it was a much sought-after prize, a rarity. The excitement of finally getting to kiss him exploded in Riku's brain and he rolled him to his back, devouring his mouth.

Vanitas returned the kiss hungrily and whined quietly at the sharp pain in his chest. Unversed knocked and scratched at the windows while clothes were discarded and whispers of affection were exchanged in the dim light of the bedroom.

* * *

The sun rose like every other day on Destiny Island. As Riku woke, he smiled when he smelled the familiar scent of his love. Reaching for him, he found nothing but an empty pillow and a slip of paper.

 _Dear Riku,_

 _I now realize what I have to do. I can never be what you want me to be so I want you to go to Sora and make things right. I'm sorry for the mess I made of things. This never should have happened. I never should have happened._

 _Vanitas_

"No, no, no…" Riku knew where he would be, so he grabbed the nearest clothes and headed out to try and find Ventus…which would be exponentially harder for him than it was for Vanitas. They had a connection, and he could generally tell exactly where Ven was at any given time. Riku didn't have that…but maybe Sora did.

When he finally found Ventus, Riku fell to his knees defeated. "I'm too late."

Ventus was staring dazedly toward the horizon, with yellow eyes blazing. Grabbing his arms and shaking him violently, Riku barked. "What happened to him?"

"He's back where he belongs." Ventus murmured as if he couldn't be bothered with Riku. Shaking him off, he walked away and didn't look back.

"Fuuuuuuck!" Riku roared and disappeared into a portal.

* * *

A month later as he lay in bed, smoking paopu and surfing porn sites, a pebble pinged against his window. Growling softly, Riku crawled off his bed to look out. "What?"

"Let me in." Sora hissed up at him and he scowled down before leaving the window to do his bidding. Once inside, Sora followed him to his room like he had countless times before and closed the door behind him. Riku sat on the edge of his bed and looked at his ex-best friend solemnly. "What is it, Sora?"

"I wanted to tell you that me and Kairi broke up again and it's for good this time."

Riku shrugged. "Ok."

Sora's mouth opened to ask him if he was still mad but something else distracted him. "You cut your hair!"

Riku shrugged again.

"Why!? I loved your hair." Sora reached out to comb his fingers through the much shorter silver locks.

Riku tried to ignore the warmth that pooled in his stomach when Sora touched him affectionately. "Is that all you came here to tell me?"

"I guess…I thought you might ask me to spend the night." Sora toed the edge of the rug that Riku had picked up in Port Royal, and waited on the invitation.

Riku shrugged. "I have something to do…maybe another time."

Sora looked wounded to his core. "Sorry…I guess Vanitas is coming over."

"Nope…no one is coming over." Riku re-lit his homemade smoke and smirked. "Especially not Vanitas."

"Is it over?"

"Way over."

"Are you still mad because I wouldn't help you find him that day?"

"Nope…not mad at all. It was probably for the best." Riku checked the time and slipped his shoes on. "I need to go… see you around."

"Bye…" Sora watched him go and then left for home, closing the door behind him.

A few blocks away, Riku slipped into a portal and emerged in a very bland white room. Pulling his shirt over his head and giving it a toss, he lit more smoke. "Sorry I'm late… got held up."

"You should be punished." A hiss from a tall chair by the window made him smile as the smoke curled from his lips. "Who's gonna do it?"

Roxas stepped to him and grinned evilly. "Shut up, whore." The blonde shoved him toward the bed where he was grabbed by another set of larger, thinner hands. Pressed to the mattress, wrists pinned over his head, Riku gasped as bright emerald eyes bored into his. "I think I'll let Roxy do the punishing…I'll just make sure you don't run away."

"Safe word?" Riku squeaked.

"Safe words are for bitches." Roxas giggled and Axel cackled like a mad man.


End file.
